Holding an umbrella, I dejectedly left the small apartment I had lived in for 2 years. In fact, I didn't feel good at all inside. My suggestion to the woman about living together wasn't joking or trying to take advantage of her. At this moment, my mood was like a homeless child who had lost warmth, yet no one knew I felt a bit like crying.
But one has to learn to respect reality, right? Once Lao Li sold the place, my departure was inevitable.
I found a nearby ATM and, as promised, withdrew 1,000 yuan from the card. I also checked the user info and finally learned that the almost excessively beautiful woman was called Micai.
I really liked her name - mi represents food and sustenance, cai represents vibrant colors. A life with both mi and cai is undoubtedly a blessed one, but I had neither. All that remained in my life was hunger and monochrome. So Micai's appearance felt more like a taunt to me! Mocking my utter destitution and desperation!
...
On a street corner was a small inn where I got a room to stay. Amidst the wind and rain battering all night, I only managed to fall into a dizzy sleep near morning. When I woke up, it was almost noon.
I looked at my phone and saw over a dozen missed calls, all from Leyao. She really was exceptionally persistent. Seeing I hadn't picked up, she sent a message saying she should've given birth and raised the child in her belly, then used this so-called child of mine to punish me for life.
I found it a bit funny. She wasn't afraid of being a single mother out of wedlock, so why would I be afraid of being a father in name only! Clearly, her complaints didn't weigh on me one bit...
After washing up briefly, I still hurried to the hospital. Why I went, perhaps it was because of the tiny bit of kindness left in me, or the sympathy between fuck buddies. I couldn't really say for sure. Often, one doesn't understand oneself that well.
Arriving at the maternity hospital, I got out of the cab and immediately saw Leyao waiting with an umbrella at the entrance, lacking any sense of security. Seeing me, her tense expression finally relaxed somewhat. She came over to me.
I was furious inside, but remembering her lying on the operating table facing the cold surgical knife, I held back from blowing up.
Leyao's face was grave as she clutched my arm, then glanced at her own belly, putting on an act like she loved me deeply but I didn't cherish her.
I shook her off, finally fed up. "Damn it! ...Be honest with me, who got you pregnant?"
"You, Zhaoyang!"
"Do you believe I'll strangle you to death?" I glared at Leyao.
"Brute, go ahead and strangle me. If you had done it yesterday, one dead two lives. Today's headlines would be you, this beast!" Leyao squinted her eyes at me, yet pressed closer against me.
"Are you done messing around? We slept together two months ago. How long have you been pregnant? Show me the scans."
Leyao ignored my doubts. Suddenly, her tone softened and she clutched my arm tightly, full of deep regret. "Zhaoyang, if I hadn't aborted yesterday and given birth to this child, letting him call you Dad, how happy you'd be!"
I suppressed my anger and pushed her aside. "Stop playing around, okay? ...Hurry up and get your checkup done. Once you walk out of this hospital, act like I'm dead. Never bother me again!"
Leyao lowered her head. After a long pause, she said to me, "Don't talk about life and death. I won't bother you anymore!"
...
Leyao finished her checkup and was on an IV drip in the ward. I sat by her side like a family member, yet refused to say a word, feeling somewhat stifled inside.
The doctor pulled me outside the ward and said, "Young man, your girlfriend has a very weak constitution, and shows mild anemia symptoms. Post-abortion recuperation must not be neglected, or she'll develop chronic issues when older. I'll prescribe some medicine and supplements for conditioning, go get them from the pharmacy on the 2nd floor."
I nodded without thinking too much, only feeling the 1,000 yuan I had charged on Micai's card should be enough for the meds.
With the doctor's prescription, I went upstairs. After a full 5 minutes, the staff member finally brought over a stuffed plastic bag of medicine and supplements, then tossed out, "Total is 3,016 yuan, are you paying by card or cash?"
I was dumbfounded, then blurted out angrily, "What magic meds are these, over 3,000 bucks? Think I'm rich so you're out to scam me?!"
The staff was unsurprised and glanced at a man who had just collected medicine at the next window. He said to me, "See that? He just bought 8,000 yuan of supplements and medicine. If you're broke, don't go getting your girlfriend pregnant!"
"F*cking dumbass!" I cursed at the man's back, then thought of Leyao's weak and helpless appearance after the abortion. I suppressed my anger and took out Micai's bank card. "At least give me a discount, knock off the 16 yuan in change."
The staff took the card from me and gave me a look. "How original. Have you ever seen a hospital that gives discounts?"
Carrying the meds I bought from the pharmacy, my heart bled. This fuck buddy was costing me a fortune!
...
I supported the weak Leyao out of the hospital after her IV drip. But the rain was still drizzling down, and the air felt stifling and oppressive from the unrelenting downpour.
Leyao leaned against me as we walked for a bit before unexpectedly asking, "Zhaoyang, there's a crew that invited me to Hengdian next month to shoot a drama. Should I go?"
"Is it reliable?" I gently asked, trying not to provoke her mood. Actually, I had zero interest in where she went to film.
"I already did the makeup test. The director and producer were very satisfied, they feel I'm quite suitable for the role."
"Go for it then. You models are all dying to break into the entertainment industry, right? Seize the opportunity..." I said, then held up the plastic bag in my hand towards her, "Here are the post-op supplements and medicine the doctor prescribed. I'll text you the dosage instructions later."
But Leyao didn't take the bag I held out. She gazed at me for a long time, then softly said, "Modeling was just a transitional phase for me. I actually graduated from the Acting Department of the Shanghai Theatre Academy."
"F*ck me! No wonder you acted so convincingly when scamming me. Turns out you're a pro, and I couldn't even recognize this distinguished graduate of the Shanghai Theatre Academy!" I exclaimed, half mocking and half jesting.
Leyao completely ignored my reaction and looked straight at me as she asked, "Zhaoyang, do you think I'm pretty?"
"If you weren't pretty, could I have slept with you?" I retorted, staring back at Leyao. She did have the makings of a beauty, moreover the down-to-earth kind - bright eyes, red lips, a touch of sexiness, a little charm.
Leyao nodded. "Zhaoyang, forget Jianwei. When I become a celebrity, I'll only love you!" ...Having said that, she took the bag from me and breezed off like the wind.
...
I snapped back to my senses after a long pause. A cold gust of wind blew by, and I suddenly remembered I had promised Micai to move out by 1pm. It was already 1:30 now! I quickly hailed a cab and rushed back to my former residence, while also thinking about the 3,016 yuan I had charged on Micai's card for supplements and medicine. I had told her I would only charge 1,000 yuan. Now I owed her an extra 4,016 yuan. How was I going to pay her back for that much money?
Thinking of Micai's humorless yet exceedingly beautiful face, I panicked!